Two Layou women have been charged for selling fish without the appropriate license on Independence Street, Roseau and are due to reappear at court on February 28, 2012 for trial.
Lana and Paulette Sobers, who were both bailed in their own recognizance for $1,500 and $1,000 respectively, appeared before Magistrate Candia George on Tuesday morning.
Lana pleaded guilty to exposing a marketable commodity (fish) for sale without having applied to the Roseau market superintendent before doing so. She however pleaded not guilty selling the fish on the said street after the market had been opened for business.
Paulette pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The alleged incident occurred on October 17,2011.
Disclosure in the matter has been set for December 31, 2011.
ALU LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO DO CRIME INSTEAD OF MAKING A LIVING
Hey, can we still legally beat our jeans and dirty clothes on river rock?.. look like that law soon come too.. “disturbing the crawfish” … lol
I see nothing wrong with selling fish in Lagon after all that is what we raised up knowing. Lagon is a kind of free market that is what it was for our fore fathers. When people come into Roseau. who has time to go to market at 4.00 5.00pm, or after one comes from work at the ministry one ca see the fish. If I remember clearly they donot have the fish on the ground, they usually have it in their pails. I find it very dumb and STUPID with a capital S, to punish these women who hardly have Enoch to feed their families. What needs to be done is to set clear rules as to how to clean up and keep water around them. So stop with all this nonsense about charging the fishmongers. Stop it. and give them a reprieve. DA also means something else check it.
ALL SHALL EAT! ALLU TOO WICKED!!! WHAT ALLU NEED TO CHARGE FOR GOING BY LIKE IS NOTHING! THE PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE A DOLLAR TO FEED THEIR FAMILY AND THAT’S THE PAYMENT THEY GET? WHAT NEXT THEY HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED FISHERMEN TOO OR THEY HAVE TO GET A PHD IN FISHING?
Give me a break, STOP wasting time and money.
These lazy policemen who have nothing doing except to play politics must find work to do.We know that they are largely semi illiterates, so that is why i am not surprised of their actions..Shame on the court system also..MORE CORRUPTION!
A rotten, corrupt, heartless and dangerous country who has no regard to the plight of the poor and needy.
Well said so many things on the ISLAND that need looking after Poilcemen have to becareful what and who they deprived of their liberties espeacial at this time As for braking the LAW look at those in high offices that are doing just that and they get away with so much.
SOME OF US ARE TOO QUICK TO ANSWER IN WHAT WE DONT KNOW ANY THING ABOUT , THE LAW IS TO BE RESPECTED BUT MOST OF US DONT RESPECT THE LAW ,I AM INCLUDED.
SELLING FISH BY THE ROAD SIDE CAN NEVER POISON ANY ONE,OR ELSE OUR OLD PARENTS LONG AGO WOULD HAVE BEEN DIED EVEN BEFORE MAKING US.
CIGUATERA (FISH POISONING) …ITS A POISON WHICH IS FOUND IN REEF FISHES,EG,BARACOUDA,EEL,RED SNAPPER,AMBERJACK SEABASS MACKREL ,BUT SPECIALLY THE COMMON FISH THAT WE KNOW AS KAWANG.
THESE FISHES LIVES IN CORAL REEFS BETWEEN THE LATITUDES OF 35 DEGREES SOUTH AND 35 DEGREES NORTH.
THESE GEOGRAPHIC LINES RING THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR AND MAKE THE TROPICS .THESE AREAS INCLUDES THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE COASTAL CENTRAL AMERICA.
THE FISHES THAT I MENTIONED ABOVE EAT OTHER FISHES THAT CONSUME OR EAT OTHER FISHES THAT EAT TOXIN PRODUCING ALGAES .
CIGUATERA IS HARMLESS TO FISHES BUT CAN BE HARMFULL TO HUMANS,THE POISON OR TOXIN HAS NO SMELL NOR TASTE .IT IS HEAT RESISTANT.COOKING CANNOT KILL THE TOXIN OR POISON IN THE FISH.
YOU CAN HAVE A LICENSE TO SELL FISH AND STILL SELL FISH THAT ARE BEING CONTAMINATED ,YOU CAN BUY IT FROM THE SUPER MARKETS AND CAN STILL BE CONTAMINATED.
I WAS POISON ONLY BY DRINKING A FISH SAUCE THAT I MADE .MY ENTIRE BODY WAS ITCHY ,MY HAIR WAS FALLING OF BY HAND FULL. THAT FISH WAS PURCHASED AT A SUPER MARKET.
NO SELLING FISH BY ROAD SIDE CAN BE POISONOUS TO HUMAN ,THESE LADIES DID NOT AND COULD NOT FISH THE FISHES WITH AND TOXIN ,BUT YET DOMINICA IS VERY HARD ,WE MUST ALL TRY TO SURVIVE ,GOVT DONT KNOW WHAT YOU EAT OR DRINK ,MURDERERS ARE OUT ON THE STREETS ,I THINK THE POLICE AND THE COURT HAS NOTHING WORTH WHILE DOING.
GIVE THESE LADIES A BIG CLAP THEY ARE NOT SELLING THEIR BODIES ,THEY SELL FISHES.
DAT ALLU CHARGING THE LADY FOR,, FOR SELLIN FISH,,, PAPA,…. BOII LOOK IT WI,, SOON THEY WILL CHARGE US FOR WATCHIN SMEWHERE TO HARD
yes the law is the law. what if you buy that fich and you get fish poisoning she has no license to sell that fish to you and to sell it on the sttreets
For selling titiwi!!!
“OCCUPY DOMINICA” This is appalling. The life I remember in my beloved Dominica is now a thing of the past when individuals cannot earn a dime living off the the abundance of natural resources without being subjected to frivolous and unwarranted regulations. Dominicans please rise up and take back the Island or you may one day have to occupy the streets and battle the police like they are doing all over the United States after you have been robbed of everything that we once cherished. TOO LATE THEN.
when they finish they doh want people to and rob gas stations that is exactly what is going to happen it has just started
Two poor, ordinary, women selling fish in Independence Street without the proper license are arrested and charged. They were allegedly doing something against the law. It could be argued that they were genuinely hustling to make a living, to feed their families. So they committed a wrong act and were arrested and charged.
How is that in other instances the same does not apply? A classsic case in point is the disrespect for the courts and the law by the very same people who took an oath to protect the law. The Chief Magistrate signed a warrant to arrest a lawyer Isidore. The warrant was sent to the police for action to arrest isidore. Up till now No arrest of the big Boy Isidore.
What was the explanation? Could there be any credible explanation or just an unconvincing, foolish excuse? Why if the Magistrate found it fitting, according to our Laws, to order the arrest of the lawyer, why was the warrant not executed?
Remember another Lawyer had filed 42 charges of alleged fraud and other corrupt acts that the other laswyer had committed against him. Almost $7,000,000.00 stolen as alledeged.
The two poor women will be in court to answer to their charges and maybe fined, yet the case Emanuel vs. Isidore cannot begin. In fact, a Judicial Review was obtained. So no case starting now. You know why? Dominicans are continually asking why are there one set of laws for the Big Boys and another set for Poor people?
Wrong is wrong is wrong. But the worse criminal acts are being swept under the carpet. What justice system is that ny people? People get to know of many secret deals and acts against the Constitution and laws committed by those especially in high places, but absolutely no justice is done even when those irresponsible, secret, corrupt acts are revealed with evidence to show. In manu cases those acts cannot be refuted.
The truth is simply trounced upon. But the truth shall prevail. Dominicans must ask again and again are we all equal before the Law in Dominica? There are several other examples where inequality is rife and could be cited. Stop it. Let us treat each other with respect. Why protection for the Big Wigs? Why criminal acts are not dealt with in a satisfactory manner, while the poor people are easily touched and face the brunt of the punishments?
Will be interesting to see to what extent that Magistrate uses his/her discretion in this LANDMARK TITIWI CASE. Matt & Dem finish talk about that?
What does that have to do with the Price of Fish.
No one cares about Emmanuel…no one. Give it a rest….your memory is short your mind confused…
You were crying down Mano when he was issuing his many “YOU FOLLOW’S”…he was seen as a creation of MAMO and Eddo and others loved what he was doing which made Mamo look bad…..
You Follow?
Go take some MultiVitamin B to get rid of the white powder that you have just taken. Your Paro! Go to a rehabilitation Center! Your crass idiot!
You really need a dose of vitamins to help flush your head of all that craziness and trash in that cabessa of yours. No lie. You are supporting the firebombing of another human being like yourself. Your heart is filled with hate for a fellow Dominican. But what is alarming is that you are bold and foolish enough to expose that hatred to the whole world. I dare you challenge the truth. Paro.
Take some more vitamins to flush out the craziness and trash up in your cabessa. That white powder have you like a cabbage. Paro. Give what a rest? The heinous act of terrorism on Christmas Day? An attempt to kill two innocent senior citizens by firebombing their homes?
You glad to hear and see the sweeping under the carpet of cases like that where big Boys tread? Sweep under the carpet the firebombing of the police officer’s home too? The one who was investigating money-laundering? did you think at all before you posted that crap, Paro? Why harbor such hatred for your fellow Dominicans? Have you any conscience? Two poor women arrested and charged for trying to feed their children and pay their bills by engaging in legitimate work?
How comes those Big boys, who committ criminal acts, are not arrested, brought before the courts and charged? Is poor people they will continue to take advantage of. The laws in Dominica are for one set of people, the poor disadvantaged among us?
ah come on,this could have been handled differently,if they was selling their bodies for money,all you would ask them,yow yow how you feeling i hear you making more bomb than russia,and taking more wood than a bakery,but here they are just trying to make ends meet,instead they getting squeeze for a 1,500 and 1,000,and go have to pay a fine,boy i tell you.
To weigh in on this matter:
Arresting the vendor is going way to far.
On St.Martin (French side) was known for being the cultural part of the island. On saturday the whole island (especially the dutch side) would go the market in Marigot which was very typical West Indian. A few years ago the Government decided to modernize the market, they build fancy structures, remove all the vendors from who were selling in the old fashion way and place them in these structures. AND THEN THE MARKET DIED A NATURAL DEATH.
As for the hygenic aspect of selling meat and fish – yes there must be control in that area. Food Safety should be the first thing.
good fish
Do you all want them to go into prostitution instead? Well if not ,drop the charges and educate them. I FEEL FOR THEM.THEY ARE NOT RICH PEOPLE.They too need to live from the resources of Dominica.
Are Dominican passports in terrorist hands ? i would like to know and all those associated with the sale of these passports.We have to protect the international community from terror.
selling fish by the road thats our culture. and that is Dominican. I am Dominica.Are you?
stupssssssssssssssssss
And all the REAL criminals including murderers are getting away scot free> This country is upside down. All illusions!!
I understand laws are laws but their are so many laws that we not implementing.I think personal we have a lot more illegal a activities to look into.
Liscense or not foods like fish should not ever be sold from a side street. It is a health hazard. how do people know that the fish is safe to eat. The law should just allow anyone to sell fish at streets corners, by simply giving them a liscense to do so.
I am not from LAYOU the fish is fresh we get fresh fish from Layou fish always fresh so behave. It is not a sin to buy fish by road side but it is a sin to stand and gossip by road, mine people business and malpaleé others some of us forget our parents work by road side to feed us we think we GRANDE MADAME but later will be greater.
Doodoo, I can bet you my last dollar that the fish being sold by these two women were safer and healthier than those smelling fish they have selling in those fish market in Canada and the US.
All you Dominica to bad. Come see the fish and them spoil, then who can you turn to get back your money or when you eat it, it poisson you? who you turning to? They right fine them self. next time they will know.why didn’t they go on the market to sell like all others?
In the history of Dominica, how many people that you know of ever got sick or died from eating poisoned fish from the local fish vendors?
Don’t try and mix things up man. In places like America where you have high technology and all kinds of refrigeration, that is where you have food poisoning.
For generation after generation Dominican people have been getting big and strong on braff, no body ever got poisoned man.
If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it, improve it.
I mean people gimme a break, two women have a criminal case for selling fish, Dominican fish. All you eh see a problem with that?
this just doesn’t make any sense to me…so much men going on sea n catch fish come back n sell it nobody asking them for license n minors going out with them too…those poor ladies maybe never had any money i think the court should reconsider them…give them a warning and let them people go…if they knew that they had to have a license to do that then i can understand….so if there is some measure in place saying that you should not sell fish without license then my God it should be implemented so that others don’t get caught in the act..on the other hand i think theres much more work to be done than to charge two women for selling fish…thats plane rubbish
this just doesn’t make any sense to me…so much men going on sea n catch fish come back n
sell it nobody asking them for license n minors going out with them too…those poor ladies maybe never had any money i think the court should reconsider them…give them a warning and let them people go…if they knew that they had to have a license to do that then i can understand….so if there is some measure in place saying that you should not sell fish without license then my God it should be implemented so that others don’t get caught in the act..on the other hand i think theres much more work to be done than to charge two women for selling fish…thats plane rubbish
i don’t think the problem is selling the fish i think it was where they were selling the fish.If it was by the seaside that would be no problem..Fish is something that can kill u they just need to be more cautious next time..although i think the magistrate will just give them warnings..good luck ladies
BUT HOLD ON .. THE LAW IS THE LAW .. IF A VENDOR SELLING FOOD NEEDS A LICENSE .. AND PPL SELLIN FISH NEED LICENSE .. GET A LICENSE .. OBEY THE LAW
Please mr or mrs. The Judge, please for heaven sake have mercy on these women just for selling fish without a license you punish them . Maybe they have children and things hard yes they disobey the law thats true but please give them a chance most women in dominica raise their children ALONE plus light, bill water, house rent, school fee etc to pay.Its hard some of us like to bad talk others when others fall into problem but one day it will be our turn and we will see if it is sweet to criticise people. At lease they bought fish to sell to help their children mr judge please dont punish them these women work to help their
selfves. fORGIVE THEM.
pure nonsense i hearin dere
dominica so hard. money not flowing and police still trying to cripple poor ppl
alas, alas, alas
arresting people for selling titiwi when they have bigger fish to fry (Pun intended
)
This is a waste of the court’s time and money. If this is an offense, then they should be fined; not appear before magistrate and plead.
One of those days all u will loose all u job and all u will see take care u might sell fish to servive so becareful. If a woman sell fish in dominica is a cry for help if not some women so fresh they will not sell fish ok you all know what i mean so STOP PLEASE.
Just warn the two poor ladies and finish with that. We have murderers roaming our streets like ants,and you all want these people fending for their lives appear as killers. CURSE ON YOU ALL.. A ROTTEN COUNTRY.!
it is laws like this that can or should be broken…. ‘license to sell fish’ lol…. i think a health permit should be enough…
Waste of Taxpayer’s money whilst REAL criminals roam the street free to commit more crimes.
i did not realize that you need a license for selling fish.
I think people could also get fined up to $10000.00 if they are caught fishing without a license. Correct me if I’m wrong somebody.
WERE WARNED BEFORE…..WERE THEY AWARE THAT THEY WERE DDOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL………THE ECOMY IS NOT ALL THAT, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE. JUST THE THOUGHT.
A license to sell fish? Imagine, making criminals of these women for selling fish. Fishermen always went to sea and they or their wives would go to town to sell the catch. Apply to who and what for license? Ensure that they have good containers that won’t leak and that the waste is disposed of properly, but to arrest them people? Magwaysah!!!
Dominica change boy, Dominica change… and I don’t know if its for the better.
It seems now that it is a hustle for poor people to make money in this country.
Growing up I knew many ladies, most time they are the sole bread winners in a house hold, would have their little tray selling little this and that to be able to buy some bread to send their children to school the next day. This is what plenty people did to raise their children.
Today these people cannot even have a little tray on the side of the road or even outside of a jam?
I understand the need for regulations and the fact that they should be made to keep the area sanitary, but this thing going on like all you declare war on these poor people.
I also understand the need to try and modernise Roseau, but I do not see how arresting these traditional sellers is helping much other than irratating the populace. Did it occur to you guys that tourists love seeing these natural events too. Many times I have seen tourists snapping pictures of these street sellers because they know that this is a tradition that has been long lost in their own metropolises.
I mean, these guys arresting people for selling titiwi, and I so love titiwi ackra…
I watchin’ still!!!
Get with the program. its no longer the stone age.
Now other department, start ticket illegally parked cars, blocking traffice. Charge illegal home construction and those with subpar codes
Let’s do things right…there is a long list
No selling Alcohol to minors, proper license to sell alcohol…etc..
yes but my god to administer those things must be a headache ad a waste of state resources
lets also arrest the many crooks in high places who steal from the state and all who else they can steal from
lets create proper parking lets fix the roads, lets create employment, lets care about people in dominica; oh my god lets……
Understood that we need to follow protocol but we need to look at the other side of it. This is administrative and not criminal – not really serious. Impose stiff fines for these offenses – what’s the comparison with selling alcohol to minors and selling fish to the public without a license? Danger – alcohol to minors multiplies down the road into accidents further drug abuse etc. but how far can selling fish to the public go – children would not necessariy caught buying fish from adults – more so adults buying the fish with the adult making that determination. etc. etc.
Lets be sensible here, selling fish, to me is not a criminal offense that warrants a court appearance. A simple fine was all that was needed. OK they did not have a license,and they were not in the fish market, so I presume they were not regular traders, just 2 individuals trying to survive.
There are more serious crimes committed and pushed aside, the offenders are given a break, so why not these two ladies. It has nothing to do with ‘getting with any program’ just common sense.
How come you so long-winded nuh?
Oh such foolishness